Coupler carrier



Dec. 1968 A. L. STRETCH ETAL 3,

COUPLER CARRI ER Filed Aug. 12, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N VE NTORS ARNOLD L. STRETCH w/ IAMRS VER BY :Jzfwi ATT'X 1968 A. 1.. STRETCH ETAL 3,417,876

COUPLER CARRIER Filed s- 12, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J: i 1 3 y 42 L V IN VENTORS 3 44 ARNOLD L. STRETCH W LIAMRS VER BY W ATT'Y 1968 A. STRETCH ETAL 3,417,376

COUPLER CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 12, L966 INVENYDRS ARNOLD L. STRETCH %LIgMZ.SI-IA:ER ATT' x BYW United States Patent 3,417,876 COUPLER CARRIER Arnold L. Stretch, Highland, and William R. Shaver, Munster, Ind., assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 572,120 7 Claims. (Cl. 213-60) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coupler carirer support assembly for yieldably supporting a coupler in substantially horizontal alignment with the coupler line of draft, the support assembly includes a pocket member fixed to and extending transversely across the end portion of a central sill means, a compression resilient means supported by said pocket member, a vertically movable coupler carrier means disposed in the pocket member and yieldably supported by the resilient compression means and lever means connected to the coupler carrier means and the end portion of the center sill and arranged to limit movement of the support means to a substantially vertical direction.

The present invention relates to a railway car coupler device and more particularly to a new and improved coupler carrier for such coupler devices.

Coupler carriers, of the general type to which the present invention relates, are fixed across the bell mouth opening of the center sill and adapted to yieldably support the coupler in substantially horizontal alignment with the coupler line of draft. With the advent of the commonly designated end of car cushioning, wherein the draft gear supporting the coupler is constructed to provide travel of from 9 to 12 inches in buff impact, difiiculties have been incurred in maintaining the coupler carrier structure in supporting engagement with the coupler shaft.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel coupler assembly which overcomes the difficulties encountered heretofore.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a coupler carrier assembly which is supported for substantially vertical movement 'by means of a four bar linkage connection to the center sill on which the coupler carrier is mounted.

Further objects and features will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view partially in section showing a coupler associated with a draft gear, end sill and a coupler carrier assembly embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the coupler carrier assembly associated with the draft sill;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the coupler carrier;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the coupler carrier assembly and coupler mounted on a center sill with the coupler shown in the neutral position of the draft gear and inclined upwardly relative to the coupler line of draft;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration similar to FIG. 4 but showing the coupler aligned with the coupler line of draft;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration similar to FIG. 4 but showing the coupler inclined downwardly relative to the coupler line of draft; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration similar to FIG. 6 but showing the coupler in the maximum buff impact position and downwardly inclined.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, there is shown one end of center sill means or center sill 10 which is formed at its terminal end with an end portion or bell mouth opening 11 of the usual configuration. The bell mouth opening 11 includes a striker plate 12 which is fixed across the top plate 13 and side webs 14.

Mounted within the 'bell mouth opening 11 is a coupler generally designated 16 which is formed with a coupler head 17 of the conventional construction having a means for coupling to an adjacent coupler. Extending from one end of the head 17 is a coupler shank 18 which may be of the generally rectangular section. The coupler shank 18 is formed at one end with an opening 19 which receives a coupler pin 21 carried by the yoke arms 22 of a draft gear 23. To permit some vertical movement of the coupler 16 a pillow block 24 is inserted in the opening 19. With this type of construction the coupler 16 is laterally swingable in a substantially horizontal plane between limit positions dictated by the width of the bell mouth opening. At the same time, the pillow block 24 permits the vertical movement of the coupler to accommodate the different track elevations across which the railway cars may traverse.

The draft gear 23 may be of the type having a travel of from between 9 to 12 inches. In service, butfing impact at the coupler head will cause the coupler shank 18 and the yoke 22 connected thereto by the pin 21 to move inwardly and to compress the cushion element (not shown) of the draft gear 23 to the extent of the travel of the cushion element. Draft impact at the coupler will usually cause a lesser travel of the draft gear of about 1 to 2 inches.

The coupler carrier 25 of the present invention includes a pocket member 26 which extends between the outwardly flaring side webs 14 of the bell mouth opening 11. The pocket member 26 is of generally U-shaped configuration and formed along its length with pocket-like enclosures 26a which receive compression springs 27. The pocket member 26 includes a bottom Wall 28 and upstanding walls 29 and 31, of which the front or outboard wall terminates at a level somewhat above the rear wall or inboard wall 31.

As shown, each of the compression springs 27 is held in an upright attitude and is received at the upper end thereof in a recess 32 formed in the underside of a coupler carrier block 33. Holding the springs 32 vertically aligned are bosses 34 formed on the underside of the carrier block 33.

The carrier block 33 is of substantially inverted L-shape configuration having a horizontal supporting leg 36 which engages a wear plate 37 fixed to the underside 38 of the coupler 18. Depending downwardly from the horizontal supporting leg 36 is a substantially vertical leg 39 to which there is fixed a linkage arrangement 51, more fully to be explained hereinafter.

Fixed to the outboard edge of the horizontal leg 36 as by welding is an attachment plate 41 to the outer surface of which there is connected one end of a vertical leg 42 of transversely spaced enclosure straps 43. The enclosure straps 43 are each substantially U-shaped and include the vertical leg 42, base web 44, and an inboard upright leg 46 which is fixed to the outer surface of the leg 39. The base webs 44 are each adapted to engage horizontal stop plates 47 47 fixed to the base 26 of the pocket member 25 and to the side webs 14.

In the upper limit position, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the supporting surface 36 of the coupler carrier 33 engages the wear plate 37 on the underside of the coupler shank 18 so as to maintain the coupler substantially aligned with the coupler line of draft C.

Under some circumstances the track conditions may be such that the coupler 16 is elevated angularly about the yoke connection 21 so as to assume the positions shown in FIG. 4. In this position of the coupler 16 the carrier coupler plate 33 is biased upwardly by the springs 27 and the :base webs 44 engage the stop plates 47 whereby the carrier block 33 remains substantially horizontal, while the shank 18 is displaced upwardly and out of supporting engagement therewith.

Under conditions in which the coupler 16 is displaced downwardly, as shown for example in FIGS. 6 and 7, the coupler shank 18 bears against the coupler carrier plate 33 and depresses the springs 27 downwardly agains, the base plate 26 so that the carrier 33 and the horizontal webs 44 44 fixed thereto are depressed and displaced away from the stop plates 4747. Upon release of the force causing the shank 18 to pivot or to be inclined downwardly with respect to the coupler line of draft C, the force of the springs 27 is operative to return the coupler 18 to its aligned position with the coupler line of draft C.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided the linkage arrangement 51 which serves to maintain the coupler carrier plate 33 in substantially planar contact with the underside of the coupler shank 38 in various positions assumed by the carrier 16 as described above in connection with FIGS. 4, 6 and 7.

In FIG. the coupler 16 is shown in its neutral position in which position no draft or bufi impacts are applied thereon. In this position the underside 38 of the coupler shank 18 is supported in planar relationship on the carrier plate 33 with the springs 27 under compression so that the base webs 44 of the retainer straps 43 are held in engagement with the stop plates 47. Upon track conditions wherein the coupler is inclined downwardly about the pivot connection 21, the shank 18 bearing against the coupler carrier 33 causes the springs 27 to be depressed, whereupon the base webs 44 of the coupler carrier enclosure straps 43 are displaced downwardly from the stop plates 47.

To maintain the coupler carrier plate 33 in substantially planar contact with the coupler shank 18, the coupler carrier 33 is pivotally connected adjacent each end by means of four bar linkage arrangements 51 to the frame or bell mouth 14 of the center sill 10, as shown, in particular in FIGS. 1 and 2. The four bar linkage arrangements 51, of which only one is shown in FIG. 2 because the structure is symmetrical about the longitudinal center line of the center sill each include a vertically disposed clevis plate 52 which is fixed to the upstanding leg 39 of the coupler carrier plate 33. Pivotally connected to the clevis plate 52 are vertically spaced ends 53 and '54 of connecting levers 56 and 57, respectively. The ends 53 and 54 are pivotally connected by means of pivot studs 58 and 59, respectively, and are held in position by means of cotter pins 61.

The lever 56v at the other end thereof is connected to the center sill 10 by means of a clevis bracket assembly 62 which is fixed to the vertical walls 14 of the bell mouth opening 11. Connecting the end of the lever 56 for pivotal movement is a pivot pin 68 which is held in position by means of cotter pins 69.

The other end of the lever 57 is connected to the clevis assembly 67 at a point disposed vertically below and outboard of the pivot pin 68. Pivotally mounting the other end of the lever 57 on the clevis assembly 67 is a pivot stud 71 which is also held in position by means of a cotter pin 72.

In order to maintain the horizontal surface or leg 36 of the coupler carrier 33 in substantially planar contact with the underside of the carrier shank 18, the pivot pins or connections 58, 59, 68 and 71 are located so that the arc defined by spring bosses 34 as they move from the neutral position shown in FIG. 5 to the positions shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is such that leg 36 remains substantially parallel to the underside of the coupler shank 18 as the coupler 19 inclines downwardly. While there may be some arcuate movement of the carrier 33, the linkage assemblies 51 are so arranged as to form a maximum radius of curvature and thereby maintain the center line of the springs 27 during compression substantially vertical during pivotal movement of the coupler carrier 33. Thus, the springs 26 are not twisted out of a vertical plane but remain substantially erect so that the full compressive force of the springs 27 is available to yieldably return the coupler 16 to its horizontal position when the track condition causing downward tilting of the coupler 16 is relieved.

Referring now to FIG. 7, it is to be noted that the linkage arrangements 51 are also arranged to maintain a planar contact with the underside of coupler carrier 33 when the carrier is subjected to buif impact causing the pivot connection 21 to be displaced inboard from the neutral position shown in FIG. 4. Under these conditions the linkage arrangements 51 compensate for the angle of inclination in substantially the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 6, notwithstanding that the pivot connection 21 has been displaced inboard.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupler carrier support assembly for supporting a coupler, said coupler support assembly comprising a pocket member fixed to and extending transversely across the end portion of a central sill means, compression resilient means supported by said pocket member, vertically movable coupler carrier means disposed in said pocket member and yieldably supported by said compression resililient means, substantially planar horizontal support means on said carrier means engageable with the underside of said coupler, and lever means pivotally connected with said coupler carrier means and with said end portion for guiding said planar support means of said carrier means in substantially planar contact with the underside of said coupler said lever means upon sliding movement of the coupler being arranged to limit movement of the support means in a substantially vertical direction.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever means comprises a four bar linkage.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever means includes a flange depending vertically from said horizontal support means, a first lever means pivotally connected at one end to said flange and pivotally connected to said end portion at the other end thereof, and a second lever means vertically displaced relative to said first lever, said second lever being pivotally connected at one end to said flange and at the other end to said end portion.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 and a stop means being fixed to said end portion, and means being fixed to said movable coupler carrier means and engageable with said stop means when said coupler is aligned with the coupler line of draft.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and said lever means having means engageable with said pocket member to limit upward vertical movement of the support means.

6. The invention according to claim 5 and said means engageable with the pocket member comprising a lower portion of the lever means engaging with the underside of the pocket member.

7. A coupler carrier support assembly for supporting a coupler which is swingable through a limited are about a horizontal axis, said coupler support assembly comprising a pocket member fixed to and extending transversely across the end portion of a central sill means, compression resilient means supported by said pocket member, vertically movable coupler carrier means disposed in said said pocket and yieldably supported by said compression resilient means, said coupler carrier means including substantially planar horizontal support means engageable with the underside of said coupler, a downwardly depending flange extending from said support means, and a pair of vertically spaced lever means pivotally connected to said depending flange and to said end portion for guiding said planar support means of said carrier means in substantially planar contact with the underside of said coupler as said coupler swings about said horizontal axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,868 1/1935 Petznick 213---76 2,807,375 9/1957 Winther 213-61 2,998,144 8/1961 Cope et a1. 213-61 2,956,693 10/1960 Blattner 21372 DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

